Nerine 2010

[DaveP]

Yes we do seem to be able to get away with quite a few things here.  In the past, everything I thought I knew about sarniensis told me that it should be given an almost dry, sunny summer and completely frost free winter.  Here I grow it with the 'shoulders and neck' of the bulbs exposed and the leaves were turned greasy dark green during last winter's 'episode', but they recovered and there was no damage to the bulbs either.

There's a very congested clump of bowdenii in one spot that is gradually producing fewer flowers, but the bulbs were planted about 14 years ago so they'll need some attention soon.  I may dispose of them altogether and replace with 'Zeal Giant', which is a big bruiser of a Nerine and exceptionally showy.  I must admit to being rather taken with some of the Rothschilds' varieties - especially the dusky purple hybrids.  Whether they would be as successful here is uncertain, but the notion is fast becoming one of those itches that I feel I must scratch!

[Brian Ellis]

I'll tell you what Dave, you have a good scratch and I'll try sarniensis outside

[majallison]

DaveP, pure sarniensis might not thrive, but sarniensis crossed with undulata (there are lots of these, including 'Mansellii', 'Glensavage' varieties, 'Bennett Poe') or sarniensis crossed with bowdenii (Zeal varieties & a number of others) might do well.  Certainly 'Mansellii' is grown out of doors in Guernsey as a cut flower crop.

[jshields]

Our "second nerine season" is underway here in Westfield, Indiana, USA.  The sarniensis hybrids finished a few weeks ago and now scapes are showing on bowdenii, undulata, and humilis.  This is actually the first year that the humilis have ever bloomed.  When the blooms open fully, I'll try to get a couple pictures.

In our continental climate, they all have to grow in pots and spend the winters inside the greenhouse.

Jim Shields
in central Indiana, USA

[Maggi Young]

Hello Jim, great to see you posting. 

Even as your plants are blooming you must be hoping that even with them undercover, the winter is not too hard on them... or you.

I'm thinking here that it's going to get tough..... nerines ( bowdenii) in nearby gardens are going over while mine have yet to open.....at least I don't have much in the way of "specials" to fret over. 

[jshields]

Thanks, Maggie,

The greenhouse is heated, so they will be fine unless the power goes out when the temperatures are too far below freezing.  We are USDA cold zone 5, but our summer Heat Zone is somewhere around 7 or 8.

The bowdenii were tested outdoors in the ground for two full years, some time back.  Out of ca 40 bulbs, only a half-dozen survived and none ever showed any sign of blooming while outdoors.

The bowdenii do spend the summers outdoors in their pots now, in a lath house with irrigation.  They seem to like it.

[jshields]

Here is one I call "Den's Dwarf."  It came to me labeled Nerine gibsonii, but Graham Duncan says it is definitely not gibsonii.  I think it is probably a form of angustifolia, but with much shorter peduncles than any other angustifolia I have had.  It makes a delightful potful of flowers on 6-inch stems in late summer or early autumn. It sets abundant seed, especially if I help it along with a fine-tipped painter's brush.

[PeterT]

looks attractive Jim

[ArnoldT]

Welcome Jim.

Here is Nerine Blanchefleur fully open. The crystalline detail on the petals is visible.

[jshields]

Here is a Nerine laticoma, the first bloom on a batch of bulbs received in 2000 from Cape Flora Nursery in South Africa.  This bloomed in August, 2010.  The leaves on laticoma are characteristic: linear, strap-like, over 1/2 inch wide.  For more notes, see: 

http://www.shieldsgardens.com/Blogs/Garden/201008.html#e2b

[Lvandelft]

In the Happy Travelers thread 
                   http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6123.120;topicseen
I described several gardens and places where we have been in October when we returned from the Discussion Weekend in Scotland.
Exbury Gardens is one of these gardens, which we merely visited to see the Nerine Show.
Here are pictures we made in the glasshouses where we were welcomed by Mr. Theo Herselman.
He explained everything about the collections and the maintaining of them.
 

Exbury Theo Herselman                 
Exbury Nerine sarniensis 


more to come

[Gerdk]

This is Nerine heaven - fantastic!

Gerd

[Maggi Young]

When I saw his name I thought Mr.Theo Herselman was Dutch.... but with the nerines I suppose he might be from South Africa.... or both?

[Ragged Robin]

Paradise indeed - super Nerines, glorious colours 

[Lvandelft]

more Nerine:

All named plants are pictured here:

Nerine sarniensis Annie Darling